Hydraulic ram system



Oct. 27, 1931. wfK. MCFARLIN HYDRAULIC RAMV SYSTEM Filed April l. 1929 UNITED STATES lmralarA vonirica y WILLLAMK. MCFARLIN, oF Ens'r ORANGE, JEnsnY HYDRAULIC RAM- SYSTEM Application med apra 1,1929.- seriaipmyssrssi.

kThis invention relatesto improvements in the operation of hydraulic rams and has particular reference to the operation of rams in battery whereby any desired amount of water can be supplied automaticallyu and etliciently.

The main 'object of the invention is to provide means whereby the length of the drivev pipe to each ram of the battery may be established atthe desired amount independ` ently of the lengths of the drive pipes to the v other rams of the battery and to insure that the water in the drive pipe is always underl proper pressure to deliver the desired kinetic kick to the delivery valve of the ram,

Afurther object of the invention is v to provide a water supply system to a battery of rams so that the water will not readily freeze in the pipes and that Athe Water in` the supply pipes will always be in motion.

A' stillfurther object is to establish the system so that the battery of rams can be placed at any desired distance from the source of the Water supply and still operate under the desired head, and Lwhereby the` rams can be connected to a city water main, artesian well, flume, or any pipe carrying water under pressure without the need of an eXtra supply reservoir.

Further l'and more specic objects, features, and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification, and which illustrate one embodiment of the invention and in'which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a battery of rams and their associated apparatus according to my invention, and,

Fig.l 2 is a side elevation thereof.

In the present preferred kform of the invention as shown in the drawings, the inven tion is concerned withthe assembly and operation of a series or battery of rams such V as rams 10-15y suitably disposed ina concrete pit or overflow tank 16, and all con-` necting to a common delivery pipe 17fleading to any suitable point of delivery for the water to be pumped by the rams. Valves such as 18 are disposed between somel of the rams and the `delivery pipe as 19 is disposed beyond the `last ram 15 inV the delivery pipe 17.

The battery of rams are supplied through several drive pipes 20-25 which connect toy the rams in the usual manner, since the rams are of any standard type. Valves such as 26 are disposedr vbetween-most of the rams and the drive pipes andare operated through hand wheels. A' valve 27 disposed inthe drivepipe leading to the first ram 10 is of thequick-throw type operated by a lever 28v so that this ram` may be opened very quicklyf when desired. At the opposite ends of the 17. i VA valve such drive pipes 20-25 are disposed a plurality of devices termed impulsers 30A-35. Thesel preferably comprise iron tanks generally about three feet high andprovided with connections to join the tanks to the drive pipes on one'sidef andy to the series of control pipes on theV other side. Inthe control pipes 36e-41am disposed yvalves such a's42l whereby the amount of flowito ythe impulser .y

Operetta/tL v`The supply pipe 44 extends from a suitable source of water supply such as a river, a well, a water main, etc., and musty be of such dimension that it will at yany time be able to carry enough water to supply all the rams when working'full capacity. This supply then runs into the distributor where it divides up into thev control pipesv 36441 which may be of variable length and never larger than thev drive pipes 20--'-25 Abut may be smaller depending upon the pressure head used in the distributor tank 43. Their capacity is alwaysgin excess of the amount each ram at full capacity will use, andthe flow in` the' control pipes never entirely ceases consequently the water in them is not liable to freeze. The gate valves 42 are used to complete the control of the water flowing to each ram and when necessary to limit the pressure head in the various impulser tanks -35.

The impulser tanks above mentioned are used to allow water. to continue to :How in the control pipes even though it may be stopped in the drive pipes. This builds up an air pressure in the impulser tanks which quickens the water flow in the drive pipes for the next stroke. The working head or pressure that can be used in the impulser tanks is about of the head to which the water is to bedelivered, being the limit at which the rams will work.

The drive pipes 20-25 areof the diameter called for by the size of the rams to be used Vbut vary in length depending uponthe rat-io.

The water flowing in theseA pipes stops en tirely with each stroke of each ram. y The gate valves 26 and 27 are usedl for starting and stopping the rams and are allways full open. when the rams are running.

At least onevalve such as 27 should be of the quick opening type to fill the delivery pipe high enough to allow the rams to work automatically.

The water flowing in through the 'supply pipe 43 will be distributed into the variouscontrol pipes in accordance with the degree to which the gate' valves near the impulsers are opened. Thev presence of thesev impulsers,V which are in eect elastic cushions for the water, permits the water to flow continuously` in the control pipes and therefore avoid starting and stopping such a large amount of water as would otherwise bethe case. .The water inthe drive pipes howeverrwill be started and stopped as usual and will be given a quicker impulse to start them than usualv because of the presence of the impulser compressed air pressure and thus insures quick` end effective strokes and recovery of the mechanism. This combination permits wid-v er discretion as to the location of the ram from the supply source and latitude with respect to the length of the control and drive ,pipes which makes it easier to design and install the system to Vmeet the requirements of any particular job. Also the constant flow being assured, the pipes will not freeze. The partsare few in number and of such conl struction that no replacement and repairs are necessary over long periods-ottime. The presence of the impuls-er cushion prevents also the water hammer which would occur upon, every stoppage and back reaction from such larfe amounts of water as is .contained inv lengths of drive pipe which might otherwise be required. Y Y* While I have described my improvement in detail andwith respect to a preferred form thereof, I do not desire to be limited to such details or form since many changes and modifications may be made and the invention embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broader aspects. Hence I desire to cover all modifications and forms coming within the language or scope of any one or more of the appended claims. Y.

v l/Yhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. A-hydraulic ram system comprising a ram, drivepipe therefor, a control pipe connected to the drive pipe, and an air pressure tank disposed between the control and the drive pipes.

A hydraulic ram system comprising a ram, a drive pipe therefor, a control pipe con` nected to the drive pipe, an air pressure tank disposed between the control and the drive pipes, valve means to regulate the amount of Water entering the said tanks, and a distributor tank from which the water enters the control pipe. Y

In testimony whereof that I claim the invention above set forth, I afliX my signature hereto. y f

WILLIAM K. MCFARLIN. 

